Other Univ Offer Accommodate LMU Indian Students

More than 350 Indian students are among nearly 2,600 non EU students being offered places at various universities after the London Metropolitan University (LMU) was stripped of its licence to admit and teach international students last week.

A task force constituted to support current students at various stages of their courses is coordinating offers places from universities in London and other places. Some universities have offered to charge the same fee as LMU even though their fees are higher than LMU's.

London Metropolitan University (LMU) lost its licence last week after UK Border Agency 'Systemic and Serious errors' in the university's remember recruitment of international students, including from India.

Indian students who had acquired students visas and were in the process of traveling to London to start their courses this month have been told to cancel their plans after the revocation.

The University of East London (UEL) has set up a hotline from LMU students, while others Middlesex University, University of Bedfordshire and De Montfort University have also expressed interest in accepting LMU students affected by the licence revocation.

London Metropolitan University (LMU) has closed its offices in New Delhi and Chennai, while the university has informed some of the affected new students that they could have fee refunded.

Leicester-based Dominic Shellard, vice chancellor of De Montfort University, said he was happy to see of LMU students could be accommodated at his institution.

Shellard said that, "Our offer to help is not about financial gain. That is why a consortium approach through the taskforce is important. It would scotch the nation that some universities are trying to cream off students".

Shellard said the swift reallocation of students would ultimately benefit universities by limiting negative publicity across the world, "I could see from the TNV this has caused huge anxiety to bona-fide, legitimate students left totally bereft. I think the biggest challenge is how to limit the damage caused to the reputation of the sector overseas".

"We had over 10 calls from International and Indian students. We have now set up a dedicated hotline with specialist advisers able to help students. We are quite convenient in terms of our location and there is also good match portfolio-wise", said Catherine Diwnes, Director of corporate marketing at UEL.

The LMU is likely to legally challenge the decision to revoke its licence.